The human body requires iron for the production of proteins such as hemoglobin -- the protein found in red blood cells that carries oxygen. Failing to consume enough iron leads to a medical condition known as anemia. Anemia causes extreme fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, headache, dizziness and irritability. To avoid the onset of anemia and increase the level of iron in the body, eat foods rich in iron.
Meat
Meats, including red meats and poultry, contain the form of iron known as heme iron. Because heme iron comes from hemoglobin the body absorbs this type of iron more readily than other forms. Chicken liver provides the most dietary iron as they provide 12.8 mg per 3.5 oz serving, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Beef, turkey and other chicken meat are also good sources of iron.
Fish
Fish and seafood items also provide heme iron. Consuming approximately six oysters provides 4.5 mg of iron for the body, between 15 and 35 percent of which the body will absorb. Adding fish such as tuna and halibut to your diet also helps to increase iron levels. Other seafood items that contain iron include clams, crab and shrimp.
Beans
Dried beans and peas not only provide the body with protein and vitamins, they also contain iron. The form of iron found in vegetable sources is known as nonheme iron. Although the body absorbs less of the nonheme iron -- only 2 to 20 percent as reported by the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements -- increasing your intake of these foods can help to increase iron levels. One cup of boiled lentils contains 6.6 mg of iron, whereas one cup of soybeans contains 8.8 mg. In addition to beans other non-meat sources provide iron, including molasses and spinach.
Fortified Foods
Because women of child-bearing age lose blood each month, they need to consume more iron per day than men of the same age. The Institute of Medicine Food and Nutrition Board lists the dietary reference intake of iron for adult males as 6 mg per day and adult females as 8.1 mg per day. To help reach these goals, food manufacturers add iron to foods, classifying them as iron-fortified food sources. Common foods fortified with iron include ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, oatmeal, grits and bread.
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